Hunger Strike
by Ludakrista
Summary: This is a continuation of the scene involving Shancai and Ah Si seeing each other for the first time since their hunger strike. I was incredibly curious as to finding out what happened afterwards, only to find out that they went directly into explaining Ah Si's business plan and marriage. This scene can be found in episode 48 of Meteor Garden 2018. To Be Continued.
1. Reunited

(This is what occurred once Ah Si and Shancai met again after their hunger strike.)

"S-Shancai..." Dao Ming Si could barely whisper her name as she fainted before him, her face cushioned by his hand. Ah Si groaned in pain, unable to move or call out for help. He shifted to face the door and used his legs to project himself towards the bed. He was weak and couldn't get any closer. With a frustrated sigh, he slid down to the floor, resting his head next to Shancai's. His breathing became labored and his eyes closed. They both had drifted off to sleep from exhaustion, their bodies sprawled alongside the foot of his bed.

"We should check on them," Ximen stated, his face full of concern. "They haven't had anything to eat or drink for days!" Mei Zuo stood up and gestured for Lei to follow suit, however Lei was already headed up the stairs to Ah Si's room.

"YU SAO!" Dao Ming Zhuang yelled. Yu Sao ambled in on her cane, leading a line of servants pushing carts of food and bottled water. Yu Sao pulled off her glasses to polish them as the line of servants headed towards Ah Si's room. "Yes, Ah Zhuang?" she asked with an eyebrow raised before replacing her glasses.

"Yu Sao, you are always one step ahead of me." Ah Zhuang shook her head and smiled, then pointed in Yu Sao's direction in a familiar Dao Ming gesture. "This is why we get along so well!" She exclaimed with a small laugh before thanking Yu Sao with a slight bow. She then waved at Mei Zuo and Ximen urging them to follow Lei before walking off to speak with her mother.

* * *

Lei quickly approached Dao Ming Si's room. All of the guards had their heads bowed and looked earnest, almost ashamed. Lei's face grew cold as he entered Ah Si's room, immediately taking everything in. He stood still for a brief moment, his face registering so many emotions. Shock, disbelief, happiness, sadness, anger. He could not settle on one emotion.

Lei removed his coat and kneeled down on the ground beside Ah Si and Shancai. With great care, he began to separate their bodies. Lei lifted Shancai's head from Ah Si's hand and gently moved it away, placing his wool jacket under her head for temporary support.

"Lei! What are you doing?" Ximen asked upon entering Ah Si's room with Mei Zuo behind him.

Lei looked at them both with a blank stare. "What do you think I'm doing? We have to get them up and in bed." Lei pushed his hands under Shancai and gingerly lifted her up, bringing her in close to his chest, before standing up. He placed her on the right side of Ah Si's bed, strategically removing her coat in the process.

Ximen and Mei Zuo quickly followed suit, one on each side of Ah Si. They placed Ah Si's arms over their shoulders and lifted him up as softly as possible. Ah Si had no reaction, his body limp. They brought him over to the left side of the bed and lowered him next to Shancai.

Lei brought his hand up to Shancai's forehead to check for a temperature he already knew would be there. He frowned and looked over at Ah Si. His skin was pale, his eyes with noticeable purple bags. Lei had never seen his brother look so vulnerable.

Ximen palmed Ah Si's forehead, mirroring Lei but found no fever. Ah Si's skin was cool. Ximen and Lei shared a look as the Dao Ming servants began to enter the room. Lei gestured for them to split evenly on each side of the bed.

Mei Zuo spoke up, "Lei, should we wake them? Or let them rest?" For once, his voice was full of uncertainty. Mei Zuo grabbed two water bottles and popped open the tops, placing them on Ah Si's nightstand. He then grabbed two more to open and rounded the bed to place them on Shancai's nightstand. Mei Zuo blinked at the thought of labeling Ah Si's furniture as Shancai's property, then smiled warmly before cocking his head to the side waiting for Lei's response. Mei Zuo's smile began to falter after noting Lei's expressionless face.

Once again, Lei looked at Shancai and Ah Si, then to the window where the sunlight was pouring in. He was thankful that such sadness had ended on such a beautiful day. "They're exhausted, let them sleep for now." Lei brought his gaze back to his friends and suggested, "We can check on them in a few hours."

Mei Zuo smile in agreement and pushed a cart closer to Shancai's side of the bed. With a satisfied nod, he sauntered past Lei, excusing himself to the study.

With Mei Zuo gone, Ximen studied Lei's expression and asked him "Do you love Shancai?"

Lei's gaze quickly met Ximen's and held. He tilted his head to the side and also studied Ximen. "Why do you ask?"

"Genuine curiosity. Nothing more. Nothing less," Ximen returned, averting his gaze to cover Ah Si and Shancai with a thin blanket. He checked to see if there were any signs of coherency. None. He held a finger under Ah Si's nose, almost comically, to check for breathing. Present. He looked back to Lei, waiting for a reply.

After being lost in thought, Lei finally replied, "I do."

Ximen raised a brow, crossing his arms, waiting for the longer answer he knew was inevitable.

"...however, it is not the same love they share." Lei looked over to Ah Si and Shancai before continuing. "I love Shancai as a lifelong companion. As if she were family. There is no lust. I merely feel the need to protect her. If soulmates exist, then she belongs to more than one person." Lei looked back to Ximen with a secretive smile.

Ximen uncrossed his arms, his brows reaching his hairline. "You have got to be joking!" he exclaimed, not sure whether to be indignant for Ah Si's sake or concerned for Lei's thought process. Ximen held his hands up and gestured for Lei to further explain himself.

"Xiiiiimen," Lei dragged his name out in disapproval, "I merely meant that Shancai would be my soulmate in terms of friendship. They are obviously meant to be together." Lei rolled his eyes and considered the conversation to be done. He turned to leave.

"Lei! You...you really are an interesting individual," Ximen stated with squinted eyes. He shook his head in disbelief and let out a small chuckle. Ximen then followed Lei to join Mei Zuo in the study.

* * *

"Ahhh..." Ah Si groaned in pain. He forced himself to open his eyes and looked down at his body. His toes jerked and he stretched his leg a little, feeling as if he were 90 years old. His body felt as if it weighed a ton and every movement he made was slow and painful. Ah Si groaned again, closing his eyes then immediately jerked them open in realization.

It was over, his mother agreed to let him be with Shancai. _They could finally be together._

He had been on the ground at the foot of his bed when Shancai fainted in front of him. His eyes quickly darted around the room. Someone had brought him to bed. There were trays and carts scattered around his bed containing food or water.

He looked to the left to find Shancai asleep next to him. Someone had brought _them_ to bed. He let out a relieved sigh and shifted his hip so he could reach over to her side. Ah Si pushed the hair from Shancai's face and smiled lovingly. He didn't see the exhaustion on her face nor in her body. Nor the disheveled hair or uneven parlor. "She is the most beautiful woman I've ever seen," he thought to himself. He caressed her cheek and struggled to say her name.

Clearing his throat, he took a deep breath and exhaled before managing one word, "Shancai..." He rubbed her cheek, just under her eye, as tears welled in his. A single tear rolled down Ah Si's cheek as he smiled, his face full of love and admiration. She didn't respond, but her breathing was stable and she didn't seem to have a fever. He stroked her cheek a few more times before forcing himself to focus.

Ah Si gingerly pushed himself into a sitting position, his body aching with every move. He rested his head against the headboard and closed his eyes for a moment, willing his body to cooperate. Opening his eyes, he then reached out for a bottle of water and began guzzling it as if he'd never drink again. He forced himself to slow down, as it took less than a minute for him to drink one bottle. All of a sudden, he'd downed four bottles of water. He peered at the nearest food cart as if he were trying to use telekinesis to project it forward within his reach. With a sigh he pushed himself away from the headboard and sat up to get readjusted to his weight.

He launched himself forward holding onto the bed for stability. He grabbed the closest cart and jerked it towards the bed, his body giving out. Ah Si landed against his bed and pushed himself into a sitting position again. He opened the tray and began to shove spoonful after spoonful of soup into his mouth. He broke apart a piece of bread and moaned as he began to chew it. The taste was out of this world.

 _It was just a regular piece of toasted white bread._

Ah Si finished the bowl of soup and two sandwiches before settling himself back against the headboard. His body still felt weak but at this point, it was manageable. He wiped his mouth with one hand and glanced over at Shancai. She was sleeping so soundly. He pondered if he could actually call it "peaceful" after what had recently transpired. Probably not. The only peaceful moment that had been shared was against his bedroom door. Ah Si recalled their previous conversation held against that door and how utterly adorable Shancai had been lying through her teeth. He smiled at the thought and looked back to her. He was so lucky to have her on his side. This is the happiest and strongest he's ever felt, despite his current physical state. And it was all because of Dong Shancai. His life.

Watching her sleep began to make him feel sleepy again. He lowered his body and pushed himself directly next to her. Ah Si softly lifted her head, sliding his arm under so she could use him as a pillow. He hummed at the contact. He pushed his body closer, pulling Shancai's left leg over his hip, his right hand was splayed across her back holding her against his chest. Ah Si rested his head on hers and drifted into a peaceful sleep.

* * *

Shancai began to rouse. She sighed and cuddled in closer to Ah Si, her head against his chest. She could hear a steady heartbeat and the smell was like no other. She breathed in, the scent making her feel safe and loved. With a smile, she rubbed her cheek against his chest and moved her left hand upward. Her hand was touching skin. She caressed that skin up and down, feeling beyond content, not realizing her hand was under Ah Si's shirt.

 _ **GRUMBLE**_

She froze. Her stomach betrayed her for the first time.

"It really wasn't me this time," said a soft voice from above. Shancai went to move her hand and froze again, finally realizing the placement of it. She was in Dao Ming Si's bed. _She was in his bed...groping him!_ She slowly began to remove her hand from under Ah Si's shirt when he spoke up. "Please don't," he pleaded. She obliged, the full realization of her position and the past few day's events running through her head.

"Dao Ming Si," her voice was muffled by his chest, "why am I in your bed?" She didn't bother trying to move or look around. The embarrassment was too much for her to handle right now, so Shancai kept her face hidden against Ah Si's chest.

"You need to eat, not ask stupid questions. Stupid girl," Ah Si replied, the arm against her back inched towards her butt, pulling her even closer.

Shancai nervously cleared her throat now realizing the placement of her thigh and leg thrown across Ah Si's hip. She closed her eyes and rested her right hand against his chest, then placed her head against that hand. For once she was so exhausted she completely gave up on retorts and trying to run away from the situation.

Her eyes hurt. Her stomach hurt. Her face hurt. _Everything hurt._

Pushing the pain and exhaustion aside, she took a few moments to gather herself and her thoughts. Shancai remembered Yu Sao and Xiao Zi confirming that Ah Si's mother had finally given up, allowing her to be with him. She remembered the long walk to his room, slapping the body guard's hand away and smiling upon entering the bedroom and seeing Ah Si's handsome, tired face. Is it _really_ over? She felt a happiness consume her that she'd never felt before. Shancai smiled against Ah Si's chest. For the first time ever, she could envision their future as happy and fulfilling. Is it _truly_ over?

 _ **GRUMBLE**_

"If you won't listen to me, then you should listen to your stomach," Ah Si laughed and rubbed her back. He pulled away just enough to look down at her. Shancai sighed, all thoughts of their future temporarily postponed, and looked up to meet his gaze for the first time since she fainted. She immediately felt as if she couldn't breathe. She didn't see the exhaustion on his face nor in his body. Nor the disheveled hair or uneven parlor. "Dao Ming Si is the most beautiful man I've ever seen," she thought to herself.

"You're so beautiful." She was shocked to hear the words actually come out of her mouth. But for once, she didn't instantly regret it. She also didn't bother covering her mouth in embarrassment or hiding her face. Shancai could only stare at Ah Si, watching his expression change from amused to complete happiness, followed by complete vanity. She took a mental picture of each expression. She was in awe of this man. _She was in awe of how much she loved this man._

"Of course. I told you that I was dashing," he said with a shit-eating grin. Shancai couldn't help but mirror his grin, though she felt the tears coming. She pursed her lips and tried to hold them in. She was unsuccessful. Ah Si brushed away the tears and leaned forward to place a sweet kiss against her forehead. "Okay, okay. Let's get up," he squeezed her hip, then patted it before pulling away.


	2. Goodbye F4, Hello F5?

"We should probably check in on them now," Ximen said, finishing up on the report he was typing in preparation for Ah Si's startup project. He snapped the laptop shut with a flourish and stood up, gesturing for Mei Zuo to get up and follow him.

"It's been three hours. More than long enough for them to preemptively consummate their marriage." Mei Zuo stood and winked at Ximen before saying, "But knowing Ah Si, they've already broached divorce." Mei Zuo chuckled to himself as he draped his coat over the sofa, ready to go check on his friends. _"Friends?"_ Mei Zuo thought to himself. Shancai had barged her way into their lives. F4 was practically nonexistent, F5 seemed more appropriate now. Mei Zuo shook his head and smiled at the thought.

"Considering the physical state of Ah Si, I highly doubt anything transpired in that room other than the consumption of food," Ximen shrugged and continued, "if he's waited two years already, what's another five years?"

"Point made," Mei Zuo also shrugged and raised his hands in surrender. He glanced over to Lei and loudly cleared his throat.

Lei was staring out of the window lost in thought, a book propped open in his lap.

"Lei, snap out of it. Don't you want to check on Shancai?" Ximen raised his voice to get Lei's attention.

Lei hummed and continued to look outside.

"Hua. Ze. Lei." Ximen enunciated, slapping him on the shoulder. Lei blinked and looked up at Ximen.

"I heard you the first time, Ximen." Lei set his book aside and stood. Without another word, he headed to Ah Si's room. Ximen and Mei Zuo shared an exasperated look and followed, conversing about their current project and what they could do to garner more investors.

* * *

Lei entered the hallway and noted the lack of guard presence at Ah Si's bedroom. _"I suppose Dao Ming Feng no longer has use for her watch dogs,"_ he thought to himself. He approached Ah Si's bedroom door and knocked four times, using the standard F4 knock.

Ah Si yelled out "What?" Lei rolled his eyes and opened the door to find Ah Si sitting on the bed with Shancai in his lap. He was in the process of feeding her a piece of bread, that was now dangling out of her mouth in embarrassment. "Lei!" Shancai exclaimed around the bread.

Ah Si grabbed the end of the bread and shoved it, plus part of his index finger, into her mouth. "Stupid girl. Chew!" Ah Si demanded as Shancai's face grew red. Squinting, she slapped his arm and gave him a small shove. She finished chewing before speaking up. "I told you I was full!"

Ah Si stared at his hand. He wiggled his index finger in delight and brought it to his mouth to briefly lick. A satisfied smile crossed his face and his eyes grew glassy as his mind filled with fantasies of feeding Shancai other foods.

Lei chuckled and shook his head as Ximen and Mei Zuo joined him. He plopped down on Ah Si's sofa and watched the drama unfold before him.

"Shancai...on Ah Si's lap...being hand fed? Maybe I was right, Ximen," Mei Zuo chuckled and rocked back on his heels, giving Ximen an elbow to the side.

"Hey! You! Shut up!" Shancai pointed at Mei Zuo and tried to shimmy out of Ah Si's embrace. Ah Si pulled her in even closer and rested his head on her shoulder, giving his friends a smug look. "She fed me first," he said, grinning from ear to ear.

Shancai knocked her head against Ah Si's and made a "tsk" sound. "Be quiet," she demanded.

Ah Si squeezed her gently, his hands linked against her stomach, and in his most placating voice said "Alright, alright. Don't be mad." Shancai made a hmph sound, but remained in his embrace, allowing Ah Si to openly hold her in front of their friends.

Ximen looked from Shancai to Ah Si, rubbed his temple and then shoved Mei Zuo. "Oh, come on! Don't encourage him." Ximen began to organize the carts scattered around the bed. "Make yourself useful and help me move this out of the way," Ximen demanded of Mei Zuo.

"Okay, okay!" Mei Zuo held his hands up in defeat, gathering up the empty water bottles. He covertly gave Ah Si a thumbs up. Ah Si nodded against Shancai's shoulder and gave him what he thought was a wink, but was really just a blink. Ah Si had never been able to master winking.

"Shancai, how are you feeling?" Lei asked, his voice laced with concern. Mei Zuo and Ximen joined Lei, sitting across from him. They both relaxed back into their chairs, looking forward to Ah Si's inevitable complaint.

Shancai looked over to Lei, pausing a moment before responding. "Mostly tired," she replied, resting her head on Ah Si's. Ah Si angrily writhed against her. "And happy! I'm happy," she added with a small smile. She placed her hands over Ah Si's and sighed.

"Your brother of over 20 years...has been suffering for days...locked in this room without food or water. Yet you ask his fiancée how _she_ is doing?" Ah Si muttered, giving Lei a look. "Some brother you are," he added with a hmph. Shancai pursed her lips and patted Ah Si's hands, trying to hide her smile.

"Shancai _stood_ outside in the rain for days, mirroring your refusal of food and water," Lei replied with a blank stare. "Am I wrong to be more concerned about her?"

Ah Si jerked his head up and furrowed his brows. He looked at Lei, anger resonating from his eyes, then at Shancai. "You were in the rain for days?" His embrace loosened allowing Shancai to turn slightly to face him.

"Yes. It was my choice," Shancai said looking directly into Ah Si's eyes, her left hand cupping his cheek. "Whether it is heaven or hell, I'll be with you, Ah Si," she said softly.


	3. The Solution

Ah Si looked down at Shancai, his anger rapidly dissipating with her words. But he refused to let this go. Ah Si removed her hand from his face and looked over to his friends with a scowl.

"How could you let her stand outside for days?!" He demanded, mostly directing his question towards Lei.

Shancai grabbed his hand and tried to hold it, but Ah Si pulled away. He couldn't be swayed by her touch or words. "Ah Si, let's just forget about it, huh?" She pleaded.

Ah Si looked back to Shancai, his scowl softened but remained, "I can't. Who can I entrust you to if something happens to me again?" His voice level increased on every word until he was practically yelling. Ah Si shook his upper body in annoyance making Shancai let go of him. He pushed her away, gently but with purpose, and stood up to face his friends.

"Ah Si..." Mei Zuo began to respond only to be cut off.

"Hua Ze Lei. I thought I could at least trust _you!_ " Ah Si pointed at Lei, letting anger flow through him, his entire body shaking. He began to walk towards Lei, a vicious look in his eyes.

"Ah Si, calm down," Mei Zuo stood up and crossed the room to place a hand on Ah Si's shoulder, preventing him from walking any further. "We did all that we could, considering the situation at hand." Ximen joined them, standing next to Ah Si on the other side, quiet but prepared to take action.

"Really? _Did_ you?" Ah Si snapped at Mei Zuo, shrugging his hand off. Ah Si pointed to Lei again and glared. "And you? Did _you_ do everything in your power?" Ximen waved for Mei Zuo to back off and let it play out.

Lei looked away, then back to study Shancai's worried face, before resting on Ah Si. "It was Shancai's choice, Ah Si. I tried to convince her to eat, to drink and to leave," Lei replied, smiling at Shancai. "But she was determined to shoulder the burden with you. I could not disrespect her choice." Lei settled back into his seat and stared at Ah Si.

" _HAH!_ You _tried_ ," Ah Si sneered. He dragged a hand through his hair before pointing at Lei once again. "YOU! Didn't try hard enough." Ah Si shoved Mei Zuo aside as Ximen came forward to prevent Ah Si from attacking Lei. Ximen and Mei Zuo froze, dismayed, as Ah Si rounded the bed to Shancai's side, instead of approaching Lei.

Shancai looked confused and used her hands to cross her chest. "What? What do you want?" She asked Ah Si, leaning back towards the bed.

"Shut up and come here, you stupid girl," Ah Si demanded, grabbing her hands and pulling them apart. He gently pulled her up and placed his hands on her shoulders, ushering her to the foot of his bed. She now stood in front of his bed, facing F3. They all looked confused, except Lei, who looked amused.

"Let's pretend I'm you," Ah Si gestured and glared at Lei, "and Shancai has refused to listen to me." He moved to stand behind Shancai. "The solution is simple. She's temporarily weak and unable to retaliate..." Ah Si began, only to trail off at Shancai's fierce expression. "...for now." He scooped her up in his embrace and carried her to his bed.

"Hey! What the..." Shancai writhed against him. Ah Si threw her onto his bed and with a satisfied look, dusted off his hands. Shancai pushed herself up to rest on her elbows and scowled at Ah Si. She gave him a deft kick to the shin and shoved herself back up into a sitting position on the bed. Ah Si sucked his teeth and bent down, rubbing his shin. He straightened himself, gave Shancai a look that suggested she would pay for that later. Shancai gulped in trepidation and anticipation.

"Physically removing her from the situation was the solution, regardless of her choice," Ah Si smirked and placed his hands on his hips, looking directly at Lei.

Lei shook his head and looked away, leaving his response to Ximen and Mei Zuo.

Mei Zuo laughed, shaking his head and Ximen crossed his arms before replying. "Yeah, and then face the wrath of not just Shancai but YOU as well."

"HAH! _Please_ , I would have been understanding." Ah Si snickered and rubbed the bottom of his nose in a smug gesture.

"Ah, is that so?" Ximen questioned, before heading to Shancai's side of the bed. "We can test that theory now. Shancai?" Ximen held his hands out and walked towards her.

Shancai raised her eyebrows and looked over to Ah Si, panicking as Ximen grew closer to the bed. Ah Si squinted and automatically jumped onto the bed, crawling to place himself in front of Shancai. He put his hands out to ward Ximen off. "That's not necessary, Ximen." Ah Si huffed and pulled Shancai to his side. "Your point has been made."

Ximen laughed and punched Ah Si's shoulder. He risked patting Shancai's head, sidestepping to avoid Ah Si's shove. Shancai sighed and held onto Ah Si, content now that the crisis had been averted. _"Poor Xiao You, now I know how she felt at the Tea Shop!"_ Shancai thought to herself.

Mei Zuo chuckled at their antics. "Ah Si, don't you have something to say to Lei?" He raised an eyebrow and motioned to Lei. Lei was silent, sitting, waiting to hear what Ah Si was going to say now.

Ah Si rubbed Shancai's side, pulling her even closer, and tightened his lips, his gaze dropping to the floor. Shancai tapped on his thigh to grab his attention. Ah Si met her eyes and melted as she sent an encouraging smile his way. Ah Si closed his eyes for a second and sighed, then looked at Shancai again. "I was angry. I'm sorry," Ah Si muttered, looking ashamed. Shancai patted his back as if to let him know she was proud. He looked away to meet Lei's eyes and repeated himself, "I'm sorry, Lei."

Lei smiled and shrugged. "I know." Lei stood up and joined Ximen and Mei Zuo. "You just wanted to be angry." Lei stared at Ah Si as if he was looking through to his soul.

Ah Si squirmed under Lei's gaze and remained silent. Lei's comment was correct and he didn't know how to respond.

"I'll allow it this one time, for Shancai's sake." Lei insisted, reaching over to shake his hand back and forth on her head, purposefully messing up her hair. She looked up at Lei with a smile and nodded as if to express her gratitude.

"You'll allow it?" A bit of venom entered Ah Si's voice before he could stop it. He cleared his throat, "Sorry, sorry. We're together now and that's all that matters," Ah Si put his head against Shancai's and reached out for Lei's hand.

Lei raised both eyebrows in disbelief and extended his hand towards Ah Si without thinking. Ah Si immediately grabbed his hand and shook it twice before engaging in an elaborate friendship shake. Shancai laughed at the look on Lei's face. Lei was just going with the flow, still in disbelief. Once they were finished, Lei stood in a daze, unsure as to what he should do now. Mei Zuo and Ximen shared a look and starting cackling in the background at the spectacle before them.

"I can't believe he remembered that idiotic handshake!" Ximen managed to choke out in between laughs.

Mei Zuo was doubled over, gleefully patting his knees. "The look on your face is priceless," he breathed, pointing at Lei. He shook his finger repeatedly and bowed his head, the laughter taking over.

Ah Si laughed and moved from Shancai's embrace to stand up next to Lei. He grinned and pulled Lei into a tight hug. Lei coughed and his hands awkwardly inched upward to return Ah Si's embrace. Ah Si patted Lei on the back a few times and whispered "Thank you for everything, brother."

Lei smiled and pulled back to reply. "Of course."

Shancai stood up to nudge her way into their hug, she wrapped her arms around each of them. They both looked down at her with a smile and opened their arms to bring her in closer. Ah Si bent down, placing a kiss on Shancai's head, then looked up at Lei daring him to do anything other than hugging Shancai. Lei rolled his eyes and lowered his head towards Shancai's. Ah Si sucked on his teeth and scrunched up his nose, glaring at Lei. Lei pulled back and laughed, shaking his head.

"You really are like a dog," Lei mused, grinning from ear to ear. Mei Zuo and Ximen started another round of giggling and gestured they couldn't take anymore.

"Please, this is too much to handle!" Mei Zuo chortled, excusing himself and Ximen to the study.

"Again with the dog references!" Ah Si scowled, then smiled, remembering the first time Shancai said she reminded him of a dog. At the time it was confusing and a bit hurtful, but as their relationship grew, he began to realize what she meant and was unable to voice at that time. He looked down at Shancai again and his smile faltered, noting the tears welling up in her eyes.

"Shancai, what's wrong?" He asked with a soft voice. Lei patted Shancai's back, then pulled away to allow Ah Si to comfort her. Ah Si pulled her close, resting her head against his chest. He rubbed the back of her head as she began to sob.

"Sorry! I'm so happy to have met both of you," Shancai choked out, holding onto Ah Si as hard as she could. She rubbed her head back and forth against his chest, wiping her tears into his shirt.

Lei studied them with a small smile, content with the day's progression. He waved his hand to get Ah Si's attention, then pointed his thumb to the door, mouthing "I'm leaving, too." Ah Si nodded and reached his hand out again to pat Lei on the arm.

Lei took his leave, stopping in the hallway to remove a small notebook from his coat. He scribbled on a piece of paper, ripped it out, then slapped it against Ah Si's door with a smirk. Lei tilted his head to the side and admired his perfect placement. He smiled and strode down the hallway to join Ximen and Mei Zuo.


	4. Let's Do It

Ah Si rubbed Shancai's back and ran his fingers through her hair. Shancai pulled away to wipe the tears from her face. She looked up at Ah Si and let out a big sigh. "Sorry, I've been really emotional since...I found out what happened...and Xiao Zi begging me to give you up."

Shancai's face fell as she thought back to that moment. _"Is it wrong of me to distrust Xiao Zi despite what she's done for me and Ah Si to be together?"_ She thought to herself, feeling somewhat guilty. The thought of being around Xiao Zi made her feel uneasy.

Ah Si's face grew grim and he looked away for a brief moment, then brought his eyes back to Shancai's. "I'm sorry you had to go through that. I should have been able to protect you..." Ah Si trailed off and dropped his gaze.

This wasn't the first time that he'd felt ashamed over being unable to protect Shancai. He stupidly believed that his mother would eventually cave in to accepting their relationship, but she never did. This entire situation could have been avoided if he'd just given his mother the preliminary research regarding Embrace Your Dreams. But he wanted to prove a point by marrying Shancai first.

Ah Si's mouth twitched at the thought. He was disappointed in himself. And he was furious with Xiao Zi. _"Lei was right, she takes advantage of every situation with her ulterior motives."_ Ah Si thought to himself, wondering how and when he could broach the subject with Shancai, without causing too much trouble.

He looked down at her beautiful, concerned face. _"Later,"_ he told himself with a small nod. _"Much later."_

Shancai brought her hand up to cup Ah Si's face. "It's okay, it's okay...We're both at fault for never coming up with a plan." She tugged on his chin, forcing him to look into her eyes. "Stop beating yourself up over this."

Ah Si stared into Shancai's eyes, finding nothing but acceptance and conviction. She wouldn't allow him to hold onto the disappointment he felt. His face relaxed as he began to study Shancai's face. She let go of his chin and smiled.

Ah Si wrinkled his brows and ran his hands up and down her back, lost in thought.

"Hey," Shancai interrupted his thoughts. "What's on your mind?" She reached up and pressed a finger between his eyebrows, forcing Ah Si to relax his face.

"I almost lost you." Ah Si's eyes became red and he tightened his lips. "I won't make the same mistakes again," he promised.

Shancai pulled him close and gave him a big hug, rubbing her cheek against his chest. "I'll always be by your side," Shancai vowed, squeezing him gently.

Ah Si brought one hand up to cup the back of her head, and kept the other around her waist, then began to rock her back and forth in his embrace. He felt as if they were on an emotional roller coaster that kept spiraling them off track. _"Is this the end of this crazy ride? Can we get off and walk away with a smile?"_ He wondered.

Shancai suddenly pulled away to look up at Ah Si, a startled look upon her face. "Have you spoken to your mother?" She searched his eyes, suddenly feeling panicked.

Ah Si pressed his lips together and looked away briefly before meeting her gaze again. "No, I woke up to the room full of these," he gestured towards the food carts. "I haven't seen anyone other than you Lei, Ximen and Mei Zuo." He hummed and clucked his tongue. "It's probably for the best. I don't want to talk to her right now," he pulled Shancai closer. "I just want to spend time with you," he gave her a bittersweet smile. "Shancai, I've missed you."

Shancai pushed past her panicked feeling and focused on Ah Si and this moment. "I've missed you, too," she smiled up at Ah Si. "A lot."

Ah Si grinned and arched an eyebrow, his expression changing from bittersweet to cocky. "Of course you did! How could you not?" He pulled a hand away to do his signature move – he rubbed the bottom of his nose, tilted his head to the side, and grinned so hard he felt as if his lips were going to fall off.

Shancai balled up a fist and hit him once on the chest. "Hey!" She gave him an indignant look.

Ah Si grabbed his chest, feigning pain. "What'd you do that for?!" He squinted his eyes and sucked on his teeth.

* * *

Shancai looked up at Ah Si, unable to hide her grin. "You idiot," she laughed, rubbing his chest.

Ah Si grinned, content with her reaction, and studied her face. His grin slowly faded and his head began to lower towards her. Shancai's laughter trailed off and she gulped, Ah Si's face inches away from hers.

"Ah Si..." she murmured his name, her pupils dilating.

Ah Si rubbed his lips against hers once, then twice, before tilting his head to the side. He poured his heart into the kiss. After a few moments, he pulled back and smiled. He knew that if he kept going he wouldn't be able to stop. Shancai had that one particular look on her face that enticed him to no end.

Ah Si dragged a hair through his hair and looked away, suddenly feeling self-conscious. He cleared his throat and glanced at Shancai out of the corner of his eyes. "Sh...Shancai! Are you still tired?"

Shancai was quietly staring up at Ah Si. He quickly averted his gaze and cleared his throat again. "Well? Are you tired?" He questioned her, his arms still loosely wrapped around her. Suddenly, the artwork on his wall was the most interesting thing he'd ever seen.

"Yes, but I don't want to sleep," Shancai finally responded. She backed out of his embrace and grabbed his hand, lacing her fingers through his.

Surprised by her movement, Ah Si looked away from the painting. His gaze was now fixed on their joined hands then back to Shancai's face. "Wh...what do you want to do?" Ah Si's eyes widened as he felt Shancai's grip on his hand tighten.

She began to pull Ah Si towards the sofa. "I want to do something we've never done before." She briefly turned her head to smile sweetly at Ah Si, then continued to drag him towards the sofa.

Ah Si's feet stopped working. His heart skipped a beat and he stood still. "Something we've never done before," Ah Si whispered to himself, hardly able to contain his excitement. His mind was flooded with images of Shancai.

Shancai turned back to Ah Si and frowned. "Hey, what are you doing? Come on," she demanded, tugging on his hand. He stared at Shancai with a dreamy look on his face. Shancai waved her hand in front of his face. Ah Si couldn't see or move. He was frozen in time, lost in thought. She snapped her fingers in front of his face then rolled her eyes at his lack of response.

"DAO. MING. SI." Shancai raised her voice and began to pull on his hand as hard as she could. Nothing changed. Shancai slapped Ah Si's hand.

Ah Si's shoulders jerked. "Something we've never done before?!" He exclaimed this time, loud enough for Shancai to hear. A grin spread across his face as he met her gaze, an expectant look in his eye.

Shancai rolled her eyes again, the corners of her mouth turning up as a smile crept along her face. She couldn't contain her amusement. She tugged on Ah Si's hand once more, his upper body jerked forward and he began to follow her this time.

"Something...we've never done before!" Ah Si said again and this time you could hear the smile and excitement in his voice. Shancai guided Ah Si, placing him in front of the sofa. She gave him a small shove and watched as he plopped down, the dopey grin still in place. She covered her mouth to muffle the sudden giggling she was unable to contain.

Ah Si rested his hands on his lap, still in a daze. He looked like a little grade school boy waiting to be rewarded.

"Dao Ming Si," Shancai managed to get out in between giggles. She had one hand against her mouth and the other held her stomach as she doubled over laughing at Ah Si's expression and actions.

Ah Si snapped to attention upon hearing his name again. He shook his head as if to clear his thoughts and blinked rapidly, pursing his lips. "Oh? Oh. What's so funny?" He looked everywhere but at Shancai's face.

Shancai cleared her throat and calmed herself down. "It's nothing," she replied and came over to sit next to Ah Si. He looked at her sideways and watched her scoot closer, sitting directly next to him. Thigh to thigh. Ah Si swallowed once and tapped his fingers together. Shancai shook her head at him, unable to hide her smile. _"I'm_ _still learning all of the different sides of Ah Si. Shy Ah Si...I'm beginning to like this one the most."_ She thought to herself.

She linked her arm through his and pulled herself closer. "I know you have a lot of questions about everything that happened, but can we save it for another time?" Shancai placed her head against his shoulder and closed her eyes for a moment. "Please?"

Ah Si looked down at Shancai, the shyness fading away into concern. His brows creased and he brought his other hand up to rub Shancai's head. "Of course." Ah Si leaned his head against hers and closed his eyes. They stayed that way for a while before Shancai spoke up.

"Dao Ming Si, thank you," she murmured. "I feel like I'm always thanking you." Shancai patted his thigh and moved her head slightly, to let him know she wanted to lift it. Ah Si pulled his head away and smiled down at her.

"I've saved your life so many times, you should thank me on a daily basis." He grinned and squinted his eyes, a cocky look creeping across his face.

Shancai slapped his thigh then smiled back at him. "Dao Ming Si, my life's savior." She arched an eyebrow at him and shoved her shoulder against his. "How's that?"

Ah Si's smile grew and he laughed, then pointed at her. "I like the sound of that." He shoved her back and shook his grinning face in her direction.

Suddenly, Ah Si yanked on their linked arms. "Tsk. Hey!" He gave her a stern look. "What's the 'something we've never done before'?" He asked as an indignant look spread across his face.

Shancai did her best to keep a straight face. "Oh. I want to cuddle and watch TV with you," she murmured, looking up at him innocently.

Ah Si's eyes widened at her expression and he took a deep breath. He nodded once. Then again. "Good, good. Okay. Good." He spoke quickly, blinking rapidly.

Looking down at her expression, he was unable to be disappointed with her response. He moved his arm, pulling her closer, then lowered his forearm keeping his palm facing upwards. Shancai looked down and brought her hand to his. Ah Si held onto her hand and brought their linked hands up to his face for a kiss. Shancai smiled up at him sweetly. He returned her smile and lowered their hands, resting them on his thigh. Ah Si sighed and relaxed back into the sofa. He no longer felt on edge and wasn't worried about the past nor the future. He focused on this moment with Shancai. He met her gaze and nodded.

"Let's do it," he suggested then cleared his throat. "Wa-watch TV," he stuttered. He looked away and tried to gather his scattered thoughts. His mind was in the gutter again and Shancai's face was to blame.

* * *

 **Note** : Just a little "fluff" update - I will add more to this chapter later this week. My schedule has been insane and I haven't had time to write. But I have so many ideas and I'm excited to continue. I took a poll on Twitter (xLudakrista) to see what you guys wanted to read, and most of you are indifferent - allowing my creative juices to flow. :)

For those of you asking if I will continue this story the answer is: **Yes**. I want to officially end it with their wedding. However, I may add chapters regarding their honeymoon and married life. If not, those chapters will be added to "What Could Have Been."

Thank you for all of the reviews and kind comments. I have been overwhelmed with your encouragement and kind words. Thank you so much!

* * *

 **Note:** (10/1/18) Just another fluffy addition for you guys as I finish the next chapter for this coming week. Thank you for all of the reviews! You guys have been very helpful and amazing! I'm glad to see so many people feel the same way I've felt about certain scenes or lack thereof.


	5. We're Soulmates

Shancai squeezed Ah Si's hand to bring his attention back to her. She jutted her chin towards the table, gesturing for Ah Si to get the remote.

Ah Si rolled his eyes and leaned forward to snatch the remote from the coffee table. "So demanding." He turned the TV on and casually tossed the remote into Shancai's lap. Ah Si scrunched up his face and made a kissy face to Shancai.

Now it was her turn to roll her eyes at him, immediately followed by a happy grin. She made kissy noises in his direction while surfing through the channel guide. She heard Ah Si laugh and peered over at him. He had a huge goofy grin on his face. She smiled to herself, happy that she'd made him happy. Everything felt so new and exciting. The happiness was palpable.

After surfing through the channels, Shancai settled on Ashes of Love. "Oh! I've watched a few episodes of this drama. It's great," Shancai gushed.

She leaned forward and pulled on her hand, wanting to bring her hands together so she could fawn over Deng Lun.

"Hey!" Ah Si tugged on her hand, keeping it within his grasp. "No way!" He pulled her hand over to rest on his lap. "I'm not letting go of you," he promised.

Shancai shook her shoulders against him and tried to weasel her hand out of his grasp, to no avail. "But Deng Lun..." Shancai sighed, a wistful look came across her face. She extended her other hand towards the TV screen, as if she were longing for Deng Lun to come through it.

Ah Si shoved his shoulder against hers. "Hey! How dare you lust after another man!" Ah Si furrowed his brows and pouted. "Shancai, wipe that look off of your face right now," he demanded, knocking her hand down.

Shancai sighed again, bringing that hand to her heart. "But he's so handsome as the Phoenix," she playfully whined back at him. She glanced at Ah Si and noted his pouting face. She couldn't contain her laughter. "You're so ridiculous sometimes. I can't believe you're jealous over him."

She turned her upper body to face Ah Si.

"You wipe THAT look off of your face," she demanded. "Idiot. Give me a kiss." She tilted her head upwards, closed her eyes and waited.

"O-O-Okay." Ah Si's frown automatically disappeared, and without thought, he bent down to give her a quick peck.

Shancai opened her eyes to meet his gaze. "You're so easy." She was unable to contain the smile that spread across her face.

"Tsk. Shut up!" Ah Si grinned and squeezed her hand. "Just watch your stupid drama."

"It's not stupid! If you'd watch it, you'd realize that you're a lot like Phoenix," she murmured and returned her gaze to the TV.

"Oh, is that right? And I'm guessing that soft-looking guy is like Lei, isn't he?" Ah Si squinted and studied Run Yu and his mannerisms. _"This guy. HAH! He seems quiet and kind but also with scheming side to him. He's using_ _Jinmi, inadvertently_ _making her life complicated. I can sense the Lei in him."_ Ah Si nodded to himself, satisfied with his evaluation.

Shancai coughed and made no comment.

"So, who's your favorite?" Ah Si question, now studying the Phoenix's mannerisms. _"He's somewhat cocky and overbearing, but intelligent and head over heels for_ _Jinmi. He's even willing to give his life to join Jinmi_ _in the afterlife."_ Ah Si thought to himself. _"Yeah, the similarities are apparent."_ Ah Si nodded again, waiting for Shancai's response.

"Phoenix, of course!" She answered and pointed to the TV. "Just look at them! They've been through so much, including death. Their love endures, even when Jinmi was unable to actually feel love. They're soulmates." Shancai was vehement in her response, the passion in her voice not unnoticed.

Ah Si looked at Shancai, admiring that passion, even if it was for a stupid drama. "You mean...like we are?"

Shancai looked at Ah Si and swallowed, remaining silent.

Ah Si sucked on his teeth and squinted his eyes, daring her to say "no."

"Yes." Shancai bit her lip and averted her gaze.

"Yes, what?" Ah Si cleared his throat and jiggled their joined hands.

"Yes, like we are." Shancai whispered, her eyes fixed on the TV.

"WHAT? I CAN'T HEAR YOU." Ah Si raised his voice and picked up their hands, only to drop them to smack her hand against his thigh.

Shancai turned her upper body to face Ah Si and jabbed him in the chest with her index finger. "You idiot! We're soulmates, okay?" Shancai huffed and jabbed him again. "Now let me watch Deng Lun in peace!" She turned back to face the TV and yanked their joined hands to now rest in her lap.

Ah Si laughed, content with her response and actions, tickling her inner thigh. She wiggled at the contact and tugged their hands closer to her stomach. Shancai covered their hands with her other hand, rendering him unable to tickle her.

A few episodes went by and eventually Ah Si felt Shancai's head fall to rest on his shoulder. He looked down and saw that her eyes were closed.

She really could sleep anywhere at any time. He smiled to himself and brought his free hand up to pat her on the head. He understood why she liked Ashes of Love. It was basically their love story turned fantasy with more drastic twists and turns.

Ah Si sat for a while, continuing to watch the drama progression while Shancai slept against his shoulder. Her steady breathing was oddly comforting to him. He ran his thumb across her finger and sighed. _"This constant state of happiness is so unfamiliar. Whenever we feel happy, it's soon followed by nothing but pain and separation. I want to be with_ _Shancai for the rest of my life. Hell, I NEED to be with Shancai for the rest of my life."_ Ah Si mused to himself as the last episode of Ashes of Love began to end. _"They got their happy ending. Now, it's our turn."_

Ah Si gently moved Shancai's head off his shoulder and rested it against the sofa. He unlinked their fingers and pulled away to stand up. He then lowered Shancai into a sleeping position on the sofa. He walked away only to grab his robe and draped it across her body, thinking a blanket would be too warm.

He stood back, his hands propped on his hips, and stared at Shancai for a moment. He was still afraid that this was all just an elaborate dream. And that the dream would end as soon as he left his bedroom. As soon as he left _Shancai_ in his bedroom, _alone_.

Ah Si swallowed once and willed himself to move. He shrugged his shoulders a few times, to loosen himself up. He walked over to his bathroom and took a good, long look into the mirror. _"It's definitely time for a shower."_ he thought to himself. Ah Si pulled an eyelid down and studied his face. "I look completely unacceptable," he said aloud.

He pursed his lips and removed his sweater. He tossed it to the side and began to unbuckle his pants. His hands were still a little unsteady, the metal buckle clanking against the clasp. He ripped the belt off and pushed his pants down, along with his boxers. He stepped out and kicked them both to the side.

With a disappointed sigh, he placed his hands on his hips and studied himself in the mirror again. _"I don't even feel like washing my hair,"_ he thought to himself, but forced his legs to move. He turned the water on and tested the temperature before entering. _"I really need to speak to_ _Ximen, Mei Zuo and Lei about what happened. That way Shancai_ _won't have to relive what recently transpired."_ Ah Si nodded to himself, determined to only broach one subject with Shancai...and only when the timing was appropriate – Xiao Zi. He knew that she was a conversation they couldn't avoid and he hoped Shancai would be reasonable and rational when the time comes.

Ah Si ran his fingers through his hair, washing the shampoo out. He quickly ran a loofah across his body and closed his eyes. The exhaustion was apparent. Ah Si had been feeding off of Shancai's energy and happiness this entire time. Now, with her asleep, he could feel the exhaustion coming into focus. He sighed and let the water run across his body. He clenched his biceps and balled up his fist, lightly hitting it against the shower stall. _"I have to keep my appearance flawless!_ _"_

Ah Si scowled and dragged a hand through his wet hair. He sent his most seductive grin to the reflection staring back at him from the glass.

"Deng Lun, who?!" He brought that fist to his chest and hit it once, sending water splashing everywhere. With a satisfied chuckle, he turned off the water and grabbed a towel.

It was time to have a little talk with his friends.

* * *

 **Note:** To answer a recent question in a review, no. Personally, I'd find it strange for someone to change and clean me while I'm asleep, regardless of the situation. I'd only find that acceptable in, perhaps, a hospital or medical situation. Or if it is Ah Si changing Shancai, or vice versa. As for them not being in character, are you referring to their relationship evolving as they get used to being happy and showing more affection? Because other than that, I believe them to be 100% in character. Thank you for your input!

Also, sorry for the shameless Ashes of Love plug, lol. I just finished watching it and enjoyed it thoroughly, so thought I'd include a reference to it. Especially considering the plot loosely reminded me of Ah Si and Shancai's plight, only in a fantasy world with more dramatic backstories.


	6. The Land of The Living

Ah Si pulled on a pair of sweatpants and sneaked a peek at Shancai. She was still fast asleep, her hair sticking up in various places. He rifled through his dresser to find the tightest pair of shorts he owned and tossed them onto his bed. He walked over into his closet and chose two hoodies, throwing the smaller one on top of the shorts. He put on the other hoodie, shaking his shoulders, relaxing his posture.

He then ventured towards Shancai. Ah Si leaned over her and pushed the hair from her face, then rubbed her cheek before pulling back and scanning his room, looking for something. He walked over to the desk and yanked open the top drawer. He snatched out a notebook and quickly penned a note to her.

 **"Shancai,**

 **If you wake up before I come back,**

 **I'm in the study.**

 **If you want a bath,**

 **clothes are on my bed.**

 **If you're hungry,**

 **I'll bring snacks.**

 **\- your soulmate"**

He grinned down at the note, nodding his head in approval. He yanked off a piece of tape and walked over to his TV. He slapped the note onto the TV and turned around to look at Shancai once more, gauging where her sight would go once she woke up. He ripped the note off and placed it a little more to the right. He bobbed his head in satisfaction and froze.

Ah Si couldn't take his eyes off of Shancai. He was starting to feel a sense of separation anxiety and he hadn't even left the room yet. He took in a deep breath then slowly exhaled. "I'm just leaving the room...not her life. Just leaving the room." He chanted to himself, under his breath.

 _Shimmy. Shake. Shimmy._

The almighty Dao Ming Si shook his entire body repeatedly in an attempt to hype himself up in order to leave the room. He glanced at Shancai one more time and forced himself to walk to the door. He jerked it open so hard that it almost hit the wall. He urged himself to keep walking forward down the corridor and didn't look back.

The bedroom door was completely open, resting against the wall. He didn't bother turning back to close it.

Ah Si made his way down the stairs, swinging his arms, trying to control his breathing all the while. Once he made it to the foyer, he had to brace himself against the table for a moment. He closed his eyes and focused on reigning in his emotions. He wanted to run right back up to Shancai. He wanted to hold her and never let go. Ah Si hung his head and sighed, disappointed with his unexpected neediness.

Suddenly a hand came down to rest on his shoulder. Ah Si jerked in response, pulling away to look over at Lei. Lei's hand was still extended, as if Ah Si's back was under it. He moved his hand back and forth, mimicking a patting motion and smiled.

"Weirdo." Ah Si smirked at him but his entire body began to relax upon seeing his closest friend.

"Welcome back to the land of the living, brother," Lei dropped his hand and shoved it into his coat pocket.

* * *

"The land of the living? Nonsense. How long has it been? Two hours?" Ah Si rubbed his nose and shoved his hands in his pockets.

Lei brought his arm up and cocked it to the side to check the time. "Nine, but who's counting?" He smiled.

"Nine?! Really? Huh." Ah Si scrunched up his face in confusion. To him, it had felt like an hour or two. Time seemed to either pause or fast forward when he was with Shancai. There was no peaceful medium.

"Oh," Lei nodded and studied Ah Si, noting his agitation. "How are you?"

Ah Si rubbed his face and let out a small, frustrated grunt. "If we're being completely honest here...Lei, I am exhausted."

Lei met Ah Si's tired gaze and, without thought, moved forward to comfort his friend. Lei grabbed Ah Si's shoulder and gently rocked it back and forth. "That's to be expected. How's Shancai?" Lei questioned, moving his hand from Ah Si's shoulder to his bicep. He held it briefly, before giving it a cautious pat, then shoved his hand back into his pocket.

With a sigh, Ah Si's body slumped forward and the exhaustion crept to his face. "No temperature. Full of energy. She's...Dong Shancai." He gestured towards the staircase. "Nothing phases her. She's currently fast asleep." Ah Si's face reflected how lost and alone he suddenly felt without her presence. His eyes began to burn, so he cleared his throat and looked away. He coughed and turned around, quickly wiping the tears from his eyes. _"This is so unlike me," he thought to himself._

"Ah Si," Lei murmured and closed the space between them to turn Ah Si around. Lei looked Ah Si square in the eye, taking in his friend's sudden expression of sadness and frustration. Lei pulled him forward into a loose hug. Ah Si gulped and immediately pushed his face into Lei's shoulder. He quietly sobbed against Lei, unable to control his emotions.

"Your feelings are understandable," Lei soothed. He rubbed then patted Ah Si's back and pulled away.

Lei grabbed Ah Si's left shoulder and pulled it towards him, forcing Ah Si to meet his gaze. "It's normal and completely acceptable to feel vulnerable after everything you've experienced with Shancai." he reassured, louder this time. Ah Si reached up to drag a hand across his face and cleared his throat again.

With a gentle shove, Ah Si pushed away from Lei and pulled on the strings of his hoodie, as if they were lapels. He choked slightly at the sudden tightness and tugged on the hood, loosening it then pursed his lips. He exhaled and grabbed Lei's hand, engaging in their former elaborate friendship handshake. "Thank you, Lei," he sighed and gave him a small smile.

Lei returned his smile, amused at their handshake, and shrugged off Ah Si's gratitude. "No need."

Ah Si blinked rapidly and reigned in his emotions. He made a face and looked away. "Thank you, anyways," he muttered and looked back at Lei. "Where...ah...is SHE?"

"Your mother?" Lei questioned, with a raised eyebrow. Ah Si gave Lei a hesitant nod.

"She's asleep. With your sister," Lei clarified with a smirk.

Ah Si's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Really? She didn't leave for London?" His shock was apparent.

"She watched your video with Zhuang jie," Lei replied.

Ah Si pulled his head back in disbelief. "Really?" He repeated himself, his mind full of assumptions and possibilities.

Lei nodded and continued. "They cried for hours and fell asleep. Your mother was finally able to see and acknowledge Shancai's positive influence on you." Lei shrugged and slapped Ah Si on the arm. "Her remorse was evident. You won't have to worry about her interference anymore."

* * *

 **Note** : Thanks for the reviews and input! I will be adding more to this chapter before moving on to the next. I also will be posting polls on Twitter (xLudakrista) for your thoughts and opinions regarding future updates! If you get a chance, please vote.


	7. Your Future Is In Your Hands

Shancai stirred, rubbing a fist against her cheek, she turned over to her side and burrowed her head further into sofa. She pulled the robe up to her cheek and inhaled. Ah Si's scent. She smiled and rubbed her cheek against the robe then came to an abrupt stop. Ah Si. Her chest began to throb as her heartbeat accelerated.

With a jerk, Shancai was now in a sitting position on the sofa, her eyes tiredly scanning the room. "Ah Si?" She called out, pushing the robe down to her lap. Her gaze landed on the TV and she squinted in an attempt to read the note from where she was. She kicked off the robe and slowly stood up to walk over to the TV. She bent forward and snatched the note off, pulling it closer to read.

Shancai read Ah Si's note and smiled at his thoughtfulness, then smirked at his signature. She rolled her eyes and shook her head, suddenly full of regret. " _Idiot. I never should have said we were soulmates. Look, Shancai! It's already gone to his head!_ " She huffed, blowing her bangs up, exposing her forehead. She tossed the note onto the coffee table and turned around. She paused, then looked over her shoulder.

Suddenly the note was back in her grasp and she was surveying the room for a safe place to store it. She settled with Ah Si's desk, she pulled open the first drawer and stood still, peering down into it. The drawer was full of their pictures from the night she'd spent in his room before the cooking competition. Every. Single. Ugly. Picture. Shancai yanked one out, studying her double chin and the caricatures he'd drawn all over her face. She wanted to be angry, like she was the first time she saw them, but ended up laughing instead.

She bit her lip as a warmness began to envelop her. Shancai placed the picture back into the drawer and pulled out another. This one was a selfie Ah Si had taken with her while she was asleep. His grin was so big, she could only grin back at him. She softly lowered it back into the drawer and lifted up the rest of the pictures so she could place his note under them.

She closed the drawer and stood for a moment, collecting her thoughts. She peered at her hands and then took in her appearance. Shancai groaned, her hands running from her arms up to her chest and face. With a sense of dread, she quickly walked over to Ah Si's bathroom and placed herself in front of the sink. She stared at the sink, scared to meet her own gaze, then her eyes quickly darted up to the mirror. Shancai scrunched up her face in a pained expression, closing her eyes, then covered her face with her hands and groaned.

She lowered her hands and sighed. With pursed lips, she did quick math on her hands to determine how long she'd been in Ah Si's room in this state. "Eleven..t-twelve hours? Oh, god." Shancai braced herself against the sink and lowered her head.

She looked over at Ah Si's huge bathtub. " _Well, it can't be helped_ ," Shancai shrugged and began to undress. She picked up her clothing and folded it, placing it on a shelf under the sink. She turned the warm water on and waited briefly for the tub to fill up. Lowering herself into the tub, Shancai let out a content sigh and relaxed.

* * *

Once Shancai was clean, hair dried and combed, she made her way to Ah Si's bed and put on his clothes. She smiled as the scent of Ah Si surrounded her. If her mother's cooking reminded her of home, then his scent reminded her of...life. Safety. Passion. Love. She smoothed his hoodie down and was at a loss of what to do now. Shancai looked over to the door and bit her lip. "They're probably catching up or discussing important things..." She thought aloud.

She sat down on his bed and rung her hands. Shancai already missed Ah Si's presence. She looked over to the door again and sighed.

* * *

Ah Si closed the binder and tossed it over onto the pile he'd previously read. He brought his hands together forming a steeple, then rested his chin atop his thumbs. He tapped his index fingers together and glanced over to Lei.

Lei closed the binder he was reading and rested it against his leg. He studied the investor's name and tapped the top of the binder once, before meeting Ah Si's gaze.

They shared an understanding look and Ah Si nodded in silent agreement. He pulled out three binders from his pile and held out a hand for the single binder Lei currently had in his possession. Lei handed it over and placed the remaining binders with the other rejects.

"Four investors. Do you think maybe we're being too selective?" Ah Si questioned Lei, flipping through the binders they'd selected.

"No. It leaves us with room for advancement in startup projects and smaller investors," Lei replied then took a sip of his tea.

"Good point." Ah Si nodded and pointed at Lei. "This is why you're my best man."

"Best man?" Lei smirked then smiled. "I'm sure Mei Zuo and Ximen will have something to say about that," Lei chuckled, lowering his cup of tea.

"HAH! Please, are they here right now? No. They'll get over it," Ah Si replied with his signature cocky grin. He lowered his hand and shoved it into the pocket of his hoodie. His face grew blank as he stared at the binders.

"Go check on her," Lei suggested, tilting his head before taking another sip of his tea.

Ah Si wrenched his head over to look at Lei and sighed. "Is it that obvious?"

"Very." Lei admitted, extending a hand to make a gesture towards the room. "We have nothing left to discuss here, do we?" Ah Si shook his head back and forth and pursed his lips, his gaze now resting on the floor.

"Why are you hesitating? We discussed everything that happened during your confinement," Lei began, ticking off each topic on a finger. "Xiao Zi and her father have been taken care of. We've chosen the investors for Embrace Your Dreams. Your mother no longer has any objections." Lei held up his hand to display four fingers, then released his thumb to show five fingers. "Shancai agreed to marry you." Lei waved his hand back and forth to catch Ah Si's attention.

Ah Si looked over at Lei, a lost look on his face. "I don't know how to move forward without having everything pitted against me. Hell," Ah Si rubbed his face in frustration then continued, "I don't know how to have a normal relationship with Shancai. What if I fail?"

Lei scanned Ah Si's face, taking everything in. "Trust me, nothing will ever be normal in your relationship with Shancai." He smirked and averted his gaze, stifling his laughter against his forearm.

"Hey!" Ah Si frowned, sucking his teeth, then pointed at Lei. "Don't be an ass. You know what I mean!

Lei shrugged and smiled. "You'll be fine. Have some faith in yourself." Lei grabbed his jacket and stood up. He shrugged into the jacket and stood in front of Ah Si. "For once, your future is in your own hands," Lei stated, flicking Ah Si's forehead.

Ah Si squinted his eyes and reached up to rub his forehead. "Hey, watch yourself, brother."

Lei arched an eyebrow and slid his hands into the pockets of his long coat. Lei backed away and began to walk towards the foyer. He waved to Ah Si and called out to correct him. " _Best man_."

Ah Si looked after his best friend and shook his head. He met Lei's gaze as he began to close the door and they both shared a grin. Lei closed the door and Ah Si let out a sigh of relief, then his eyes immediately locked onto the staircase and his body moved without provocation.


	8. Indestructible

Dao Ming Si quickly made his way up the staircase to his room. He came to an abrupt stop just next to his opened door and raked a hand through his hair. Ah Si straightened his shoulders and walked inside to find Shancai lying on his bed. Considering her position, he guessed she had been sitting on the edge of the bed and merely fell backwards to stare at the ceiling. He grabbed the door and closed it, bringing Shancai's attention to him.

"Dao Ming Si!"Shancai shoved herself up to a sitting position and bit her lip. She placed her hands on her lap and studied Ah Si, suddenly very unsure of herself. "Welcome back."

Ah Si locked his door, then shoved his hands in his pockets, returning her gaze, a serious look on his face. Her eyes widened at the click of the lock and she began to wring her hands. She struggled, barely managing to maintain eye contact with Ah Si.

Ah Si cleared his throat and nodded. "Shancai."

"Yes...?" She looked down at the floor once before returning her gaze to his. His eyes were intense.

"Are you still tired? Hungry? Do you need anything?" His words flew out of his mouth so fast she could barely decipher what he was saying.

Shancai shook her head back and forth. "I'm fine...b-but why did you lock the d-door?" She blinked rapidly and looked away.

Ah Si pursed his lips before replying. "I'm tired of being interrupted when we're together. And I need your undivided attention for what I'm about to say."

She look back over to Ah Si and nodded. "Alright, you have it."

"What happened...I know _everything_ now. We don't have to talk about it, if you don't want to." He rocked back on his heels and looked away. "Also, I already took care of business with the He family. We can sever ties at the end of the fiscal year." Ah Si brought his gaze back to Shancai and his face softened at her confused expression. "If Xiao Zi's friendship is a burden, you'll have a free pass." He explained with a smile, then walked over to lower himself to the floor in front of Shancai.

"How did you kn...F-free pass? What do you mean?" Shancai stuttered, looked down and began to wring her hands again.

"Our fiscal year ends in two months." Ah Si placed his hands over hers and squeezed. "I want to marry you before then."

"Huh? What? Your mother..." Shancai quickly lifted her head, her eyes wide and turning pink.

"She won't _ever_ come between us again. I have it in writing, too. For good measure." Ah Si arched an eyebrow, still pleased with the image of his mother essentially sealing the deal on his life with Shancai.

* * *

 **FLASHBACK**

* * *

"Ah Si, I really don't think this is necessary." Dao Ming Feng huffed as she rifled through a few pages of Ah Si's detailed bilateral contract that would prohibit her interference in both personal and business aspects of his life for the next 5 years.

"In fact, this is ridiculous. You don't know how to run this company! What are you thinking?" She tossed the contract on her desk in disgust and crossed her arms, one eyebrow arched.

"And _you_ ," she jutted her chin towards Lei. "How could you encourage him? Let me guess, you had a hand in this, too?"

Lei raised both of his hands up in surrender and shrugged. He sat down across from her and quietly poured a cup of tea. He was beginning to thoroughly enjoy this exchange.

"Mom!" Ah Si raised his voice to grab her attention. "You didn't even read _half_ of it! Turn to page 31." Dao Ming Si ordered. He placed his hands on her desk, leaning forward to assert his dominance.

"No, this is unacceptable." Dao Ming Feng pointed at him, wagging her finger. "I said I wouldn't prevent you from marrying Shancai. I'm not signing anything!"

He pushed himself away from her desk, balling up his fists. Ah Si's nostrils began to flare as the anger washed over him. "You-"

"Page 31: Embrace Your Dreams. Each party shall indemnify, defend and hold harmless the other party, its parent, subsidiaries and their respective officers, directors, shareholders and-"

Dao Ming Feng tilted her head to the side upon hearing of Ah Si's startup project again. She held up a hand to ward off Lei's quotation. He automatically stopped and returned to sipping his tea. She reached for the contract and thumbed to page 31, running her finger along each paragraph, pausing at lines of data on the following page.

"15%? Is this accurate data?" She furrowed her brow, the disbelief evident.

"Mom-" Ah Si began, harsh words about to spill from his mouth.

"It's all accurate. For the next five years, Chairman He will be the major shareholder of Embrace Your Dreams. He's already approved and signed all required documents pertaining to this temporary alliance, absolving the Dao Ming family of any prior commitments. Ah Si has procured four major investors with room for advancement." Lei smirked and blew on his tea before taking a tentative sip. He closed his eyes and nodded briefly, pausing to allow Ah Si to elaborate.

"Once the fifth fiscal year has ended, our alliance will be dissolved and all shares will be returned to us." Ah Si spoke calmly despite the rage in his system.

"Making Ah Si the major shareholder." Lei gave Dao Ming Feng a small cocky smile, savoring the moment. He took another sip of his tea and sighed, content with it and the situation at hand. Karma was unfolding before him.

Ah Si gestured towards his mother. "Depending on the results and..." He stared at her pointedly. "... _other_ aspects, we will either renegotiate or terminate our portion of the contract."

Dao Ming Feng pursed her lips and lowered the contract, lost in thought. For once, Ah Si had bested her. She crossed her arms and let out a small laugh. Due to Shancai's impact, Ah Si had finally matured into a capable man. Temporarily giving Chairman He the majority of the shares and a small percentage of their capital gains for five years is actually a _small_ price to pay. Especially, in comparison to what they could lose without a merger via Ah Si's arranged marriage to Xiao Zi. She was impressed by this intelligent move and even more so impressed with Ah Si's compiled data.

 _Dao Ming Si spoke to his mother's heart through capital gains and longevity._

She laughed again. Ah Si stared at his mother, his eyes widened upon hearing her laugh for a second time. His gaze frantically darted over to meet Lei's as if to ask what's happening. Lei tilted his head to the side and raised a single eyebrow. He stuck his thumb out and pointed towards Ah Si's mother as another smile crept along his face.

Ah Si jerked his attention back to her, comprehending her intentions. His entire body relaxed and the feeling of euphoria began to consume him. Dao Ming Feng pulled a drawer open and removed her seal, placing it next to the contract. She gathered the pages together and placed them in order before binding them together. She signed her name at the bottom and stamped her seal against the red ink pad before pressing it next to her signature.

"Sufficient?" She smiled up at Ah Si.

"No," Ah Si replied, crossing his arms. His mother's smile disappeared as dismay spread across her face. She froze in place, the seal mid-air.

"Thumb print, too." He rocked back on his heels and looked at Lei out of the corner of his eyes.

Lei couldn't contain his laughter. He lowered his teacup and brought a hand up to his face to stifle his chuckles. Ah Si was nothing short of thorough.

Dao Ming Feng let out an exasperated sigh, but pressed her thumb against the ink pad, then under her signature. Her eyes sent daggers to Lei, promptly shutting him up.

Dao Ming Si smiled so hard, his eyes almost closed. He rubbed his hands together and immediately snatched the contract away before his mother could change her mind. She laughed again, but this time at his reaction. Her eyes were twinkling in amusement and happiness.

Ah Si waved at Lei to follow him out, but turned back to face his mother. Her eyes were still sparkling as her smile grew. He cleared his throat. "Mom, thank you."

She pulled her head back a bit, startled at his gratitude. "For?"

"I get to marry the love of my life." He sent her a bittersweet smile.

Dao Ming Feng's smile faded and her eyes grew red.

"And because of _you_ , my relationship with her is indestructible." Ah Si looked over to the window, picturing Shancai's smiling face. His face softened and his eyes glazed over for a moment as he pictured them cuddling in bed. His grip on the contract tightened, biting into his palm. It snapped him out of his thoughts. He looked over to his mother.

"So, although at times it was painful for both of us, I'm grateful." Ah Si looked over to Lei, then back to his mother. "Because of _your_ interference, every relationship that's important to me is now stronger than ever."

"Love you, too, brother." Lei murmured, giving Ah Si a pat as he walked by to leave. His job was done here.

Ah Si smirked at Lei, shoving his shoulder. He nodded and waved goodbye, then returned his gaze to his mother.

"Mom, goodnight." He tapped the contract against his palm, then used it to wave at her before leaving the office.

As soon as Ah Si was out of sight, Dao Ming Feng let the guilt consume her. The tears fell until her mascara ran down her face. She covered her face with both of her hands and slumped forward against her desk. She removed her hands, pushing the hair out of her face and reached for a tissue only to freeze at the sound of someone clearing their throat.

Yu Sao had silently ambled over to her side, holding out a handkerchief.

Their eyes met and the almighty Dao Ming Feng crumbled.

Yu Sao leaned forward, pulling Dao Ming Feng into her embrace.

* * *

 **END FLASHBACK**

* * *

Ah Si nodded at the thought of securing their future. "...and as for the free pass, well, newlyweds are selfish and friendships can grow distant..." Ah Si trailed off once Shancai's expression changed from bewilderment to comprehension. Her face softened and she memorized the face of the man who won her heart. The man who repeatedly saved and continued to improve her life.

"Shancai, I don't want to wait anymore. I want to marry you as soon as possible." Ah Si smiled, pulling her hands apart to link with his. "I think we need to get you some hearing aids, too." His smile broadened to a grin as Shancai's eyes squinted at his comment.

"It's not _my_ fault that you try to tell me important things at the stupidest times! Drowned out by jet noise or fireworks." She scoffed and jerked one hand away to smack him on the shoulder.

"You idiot." Her lip bottom lip quivered as she fought the urge to cry.

"Hey, don't." Ah Si's smile disappeared at the sight of her trembling lips. He brought a hand up to move hers from his shoulder to his cheek. He nuzzled against her palm and gave her his brightest, happiest smile.

"Shancai-"

"No." She shook her head vehemently and moved her hand from his cheek to cover his mouth.

Ah Si raised his eyebrows in surprise, but allowed her to silence him.

"Dao Ming Si." Shancai removed her hand from his mouth and held onto his chin. "I love you."

She smiled and pulled his face to hers. She ran her hands through his hair, holding him in place as she moved her lips against his. Ah Si put an arm around her waist and pulled her towards the edge of the bed, closer to him. He moaned at the contact and pulled away to place a kiss against her forehead. He smiled and pushed the hair away from her face. Shancai returned his smile and caressed his cheek. "Ah Si?"

"Mm?" He rubbed his cheek against her palm, then braced himself against her thighs to push away. He leaned back comfortably, still kneeling, running his hands up and down her thighs in a comforting gesture.

"I'm ready."


End file.
